If only he knew
by amethyst orbs
Summary: Only the truly blind can overlook something as obvious as love. Seeing as Himura Kenshin has beyond perfect eyesight, he has no excuse in this department. Love even dares to slap him across the face one day, and he still denies it.---KxK---COMPLETE---
1. Ignorance Is Bliss

Sadly, Rurouni Kenshin is not mine and I do not take any claim of this absolutely amazing anime. This is a first-person (Kaoru) fic and it's the first one I've posted on here. I've probably made some mistakes somewhere along the line so please tell me in a review, thanks!

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Onto the story!

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Chapter 1 ; "Ignorance Is Bliss"

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He walked past me, holding a pail of water. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and amethyst met sapphire. I smiled and followed him closely, looking down at the ground as we walked.

"Where is Yahiko?" He asked and stopped by the clothing line.

"I told him that I'd practice with him later." I stopped next to him and watched as he bent down and emptied the pail of water into the washtub.

"He is getting stronger, that he is, Miss Kaoru. You know that you're a great swordsmanship teacher, right?" He placed the empty pail next to him and took one of my kimonos from the pile of clothes.

I blushed ever so slightly. "Thank you, Kenshin. Sadly he is my only apprentice at the time."

He looked up at me and smiled brightly as he slid his sleeves up past his elbows, tying them up. "You'll get new students, don't worry. I'm sure of it, that I am."

I couldn't help but smile. "Okay."

He looked down at the kimono he was holding and carefully brought it under the water as he started to scrub it on the washboard.

"Hey, Kenshin, Missy."Sanosuke walked through the gate, closing it behind him.

I twitched at my nickname...Missy.

"Hello, Sano." Kenshin looked back at him and smiled before going back to scrubbing.

"Hey, Missy, what's wrong?" Sano walked over to us and buried his hands into his pockets.

"Nothing, Sanosuke." I sighed. "I was just thinking that--"

"Can I borrow some money?" He bit his lip.

"I was just thinking that you only wanted money..." I rolled my eyes. "And you probably only want it for gambling, am I right?" I raised an eyebrow as I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"What if I say yes?"

"Then I say no." I grinned slightly, knowing that gambling was his weakness and he'd do practically anything to go out with his friends.

"And what if I say no?"

"Then you have to prove to me that a thug like you isn't going to go behind my back and use my money for gambling. Give me a reason why you want this money." I reached into the sleeve of my kimono and pulled out a small bag which held some money.

"Um..."

I raised my eyebrow again and kept the slight grin on my lips. By this time, Kenshin had glanced up at us every now and then, keeping track of all that was being said. "Do you have an answer? If not, this money's going right back into my sleeve."

"I wanted to buy some flowers." His words were rather quick and my eyebrow lowered, my grin fading.

"For who?" My eyes narrowed and I cocked my head slightly, showing interest in the topic at hand.

"The Fox."

Fox...another nickname. But not mine. A nickname I despised because it only meant one person....Megumi.

"Megumi?"

"Mhm....can I have the money now?"

I stared at him for a few moments as I thought. 'Why should I give money to Sano, when he's only going to buy Megumi flowers. Then, I'd be doing a nice thing for Megumi..and that cant happen.' "No." I turned my head away slightly, putting the money back into my sleeve.

He blinked a few times. "Nani? Why not?" His eyes grew slightly wide.

"Why should I help that Fox of a woman when all she tries to do is steal Kenshin away from me--" I had realized what I said too late and my nails dug into my arms slightly. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Kenshin had stopped. I felt a chill run down my back and couldn't notice the slow blush growing on my cheeks.

"From you?" Sano raised an eyebrow at me and a grin slowly formed upon his face. "Now I know I didn't just hear 'all she tries to do is steal Kenshin away from me', right?"

I swallowed hard and fumbled with my words. "No..I..meant that she's trying...to..." I felt more heat rise to my cheeks. Kenshin looked up at me, hiding any expression the was known to give. He would always smile for me even when he was in pain or when something was troubling him. If he were to smile now, I would feel horrible. If he were to smile now and laugh it off, saying that it was okay and that he didn't mind...I would still feel horrible. But he just stared up at

me. I looked down at him as my arms slowly unfolded and fell to my sides. My mouth opened slightly but nothing came out other than my breath.

"Missy's got a crush on Kenshin, eh?" Sano nudged me gently and my blush darkened.

"That's...not it..." I looked up at Sano. 'If Kenshin knew my true feelings toward him, he'd just tell me that I'm too young. I don't care if I'm 17 and he's 28! I don't! ..... But .....'

He just stared up at me, as if he were thinking of what to say. I couldn't love the sight of the amethyst eyes below me if they were to just stare back with that cold expression. I turned quickly and rushed past Sano, my long hair brushing his side slightly as I broke into a run.

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.........What could I have said to him then?

.........What would he say back?

.........Would he tell me he loves me just as much as I love him?

No. He'd tell me that it's just a silly phase I'm going through and I need to let it pass. But Kenshin's not that kind of person. He's always sweet, generous, and understanding. If you didn't know Kenshin, you might not be able to guess that he was the legendary Hitokiri Battousai (unless you remembered his unique features, that is). The legendary assassin of Japan. He was. But that was before...that was ten years ago. The long red hair that reached his lower back in a loose ponytail, the cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, the amethyst eyes, and the sakabatou that he carried....they all told the truth....that he was the legendary sword-bearing assassin.

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I rushed into my room, sliding the door closed behind me. I stood next to the door for a few moments before walking over to my futon and kneeling on it.

'What do I do? He knows...they both know.' My hands found refuge on my futon before me and they gripped the soft material, my nails digging into it. I stared down at my hands and black inky hair fell over my shoulders, enclosing my face. I cried silently, some tears not even bothering to stain my cheeks as they fell between my straining fists.

"What is he going to say? He'll ignore me so he won't have to say anything...I don't want that...."

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"Kenshin..." Sano grinned.

"Yes...Sanosuke...?" Kenshin slowly replaced his dazed look with a calm gaze.

"You've got yourself a girlfriend." He crouched down next to Kenshin, grinning, and stared at the kimono that lay in the water.

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked. "S-Sanosuke, Miss Kaoru is not my girlfriend, you know that. She doesn't even like me, that she doesn't. Plus--"

"Doesn't like you?" Sano looked up at Kenshin like he had three heads. "Did you not hear what the Missy just said?"

"Hai, I did, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she likes me." He looked down at the kimono surrounded by water in the washtub.

"Uh, yeah, it does." Sano rolled his eyes.

Kenshin sighed. "Sanosuke...she doesn't like me. I'm much older than her, that I am.."

"That doesn't mean Missy doesn't like you. She just practically flat-out told you."

"Even if she were to like me...which she doesn't," Kenshin glanced up at Sano for a moment to see him rolling his eyes again and then looked back down at the kimono. "I am not worthy of her. I am not worthy of anyone giving me affection, that I am not." He looked up at his surroundings with a slight smile. "I'm lucky that she let me live here with her. When she asked me to stay here, she didn't even know my name. She didn't know who I was...who I had been in the past..." He looked down at the green grass that stuck out of the soft ground around them. His smile brightened ever so slightly. "And even when she found out...she still let me stay. She told me that my past didn't matter to her. It didn't matter that Battousai was staying at her dojo." He looked up at Sano. "I felt so relieved."

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I laid down on my side, still crying silently. I stared at the wall across from me through locks of black hair. 'How can I be around him anymore? He thinks of me as a child, doesn't he?' I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, my hair lay sprawled out on the futon under me. 'What am I supposed to say when he talks to me? What if he brings this up?'

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"So you think she doesn't like you at all?" Sano cocked his head slightly.

"No." Kenshin looked up at Sano. "Why, do you think she does?" He sat back, crossing his legs.

"Duh, are you blind?" Sano brought his index and middle finger up to his forehead. "Apparently you're just dense." He lowered his hand back into his pocket.

Kenshin sighed and looked up at the sky. "There are plenty of men her age around here, that there are. She'd be better off with one of them." He looked at Sano and laughed quietly. "She'd be better off with you."

Sano twitched. "Don't even joke about that..."

"Sorry." Kenshin smiled slightly with a sigh and leaned forward, getting onto his knees. He grabbed the kimono in the water and started rubbing it against the washboard again.

"No problem, just...think before you speak."

"Sanosuke," Kenshin grinned slightly, speaking in a sarcastic voice. "Has Miss Megumi been teaching you new vocabulary?"

Sano twitched again. "No."

"I could've sworn I heard you say something smart." Kenshin laughed quietly and cont. scrubbing the kimono.

"Okay, I said something smart...so how about you do something smart and shut up." Sano grit his teeth.

"Do I have to?" Kenshin asked in a joking tone, raising his eyebrows as he looked up at Sano.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm gonna beat your face in if you don't." Sano clenched his fist.

"Oro?" Kenshin's eyes widened slightly. "Ha-Hai, Sanosuke, I'm sorry." He whimpered quietly.

"You better be." Sano relaxed his fist and sighed. "You know, Missy looked pretty upset when she left."

"Yeah..."

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I sat up slowly and leaned back on my hands. "What am I going to do?" I slowly stopped crying and rubbed my eyes. 'I'm going to talk to him...' I stood and brushed my kimono off, walking toward my door, thoughts of being rejected running fast throughout my mind. I slid my door open and walked into the hallway, eventually through the training hall and into the yard.

"So whatcha gonna do?" Sano asked, not noticing that I was walking toward them.

Kenshin had to have sensed my presence, but chose not to look at me. He can sense anyone from a certain distance, especially people he knows.

"Kenshin?"I hesitated slightly before kneeling down next to him and resting my hands in my lap.

"Miss Kaoru, there you are." He looked at me with a smile..his famous smile...the only expression I knew he was capable of giving other than that cold stare I had seen before.

"I'd like to talk to you." My eyes concentrated on him. That smile always meant something...something I couldn't comprehend...what did it mean? What was he thinking?

"Of course."

"Should I...go?" Sano suggested. I had never seen Sano act and polite. He'd always want to barge in on my life and know everything.

"No, that's okay Sano. You don't have to." Right now, I didn't care who was there. As long as Kenshin was. Maybe it was better that Sano was there, maybe he won't tease me?

"Alright, what is it, Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin's smile faded slightly but still remained.

"Kenshin, about before..."

Kenshin nodded and tilted his head slightly, showing concern.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? Why are you sorry?" Kenshin's concerned face changed to a slightly puzzled one.

I looked up at him "I...I'm sorry for.." There was a short pause. "I don't know...but I'm sorry." I couldn't tell him straight out. I don't know why, I just couldn't.

"Don't be sorry." He smiled...yes...that smile.

"I have to be...I am..." I looked down at the ground in-between us. There was such a large gap there...I wanted to get rid of that gap and understand his feelings, his emotions, what he was thinking. But I couldn't.

"Miss Kaoru, I don't know what you are sorry for, that I don't."

"That's okay..just accept my apology. Please.."I looked at him with pleading, sapphire orbs and he stared back. I soon got lost in the amethyst before me and it seemed like forever until a word was spoken.

"Alright." Kenshin nodded once. "But I still don't understand what you're sorry for, that I don't."

"It's okay, you don't have to."

Sano watched, not understanding either. "Missy.."

I reluctantly took my eyes off of Kenshin and looked at Sano.

"What are you so sorry for?" Sano's eyebrows lowered.

"Nothing, Sano." I looked back at Kenshin, who was watching me with his smile. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Kenshin nodded once. "It's alright, that it is." He turned and resumed scrubbing my kimono.

I watched him with a sigh.

'If only he knew...'

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Woo. Only a small amount of Japanese terms in this. This chapter was originally written as a school assignment, and seeing as my classmates and teachers wouldn't understand, I used simple Japanese terms. I'm going to do that for my other chapters/fics.

This might be a one-shot or maybe have another chapter.

Review!


	2. Preserve The Lingering Feel

Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. I'm simply borrowing the items for a piece of fiction, which is completely written for my own (and readers') delights.

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IMPORTANT!!!!:

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Okay, I'm writing this story over. For all of you who've read up to chapter 7, I thank you very much and appreciate all of your reviews. I'm not exactly satisfied with how I've made this story come out. The chapters got short, and the characters' personalities weren't how they should've been. I'm HOPING to make the chapters longer and the character's actions better. Sadly, my reviews will be lost. I was almost up to the 100 mark, too. Thank you so much, though. I hope you like the new version!

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Onto the story!

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Chapter 2 ; "Preserve The Lingering Feel"

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My mind could only comprehend the pounding in my chest, perspiration gliding down my temples, and the heat boiling on the surface of my skin. Pitch black enclosed my form, preventing my eyes from searching my surroundings.

"No!" I shouted as I immediately sat up, my eyes opening. My environment was soon recognized as my bedroom. It all came rushing back to me in one sharp moment as the sweat on my forehead turned cold.

Reality clashed with fiction as my mind became an arena strictly suited for war. Just the perpetual thought forced my muscles to contract, unconsciously pushing my body up and off of my futon. It seemed as though I was carried out of my room and down the hallway. Everything was coated in a thick blanket of darkness, the moon's gentle light nested only in few spots.

The sound of my bare feet colliding with the wooden floor carried itself throughout the home until I came to a stop in front of his room. The sudden snapping sound of a door sliding open disrupted all from peaceful sleep. Next to be heard was heavy panting, closely followed by a whimper as I collapsed, letting the wooden floor below me still my motion.

He left.

My eyes never moved from the futon in the middle of the room. It was unfolded and the blanket covering it was slightly disheveled. The room was empty of any human being, nonetheless.

Two pairs of footsteps came racing toward me from either side of the hallway, as well as two voices. Two very familiar voices.

"What's going on?" Yahiko's voice reached me and my eyes traveled to look at him. At least someone was still here.

"Miss Kaoru, are you alright?" Kenshin's voice distracted me, and I no longer had any intentions of answering Yahiko's question. I slowly turned my head to look toward Kenshin, who came over to my side quickly.

"Kenshin..?" My voice cracked slightly, unsure if this was just another nightmare or not. I felt a cool breeze rush over my body and my spine instantly shivered in reaction. Kenshin knelt in front of me with a concerned look. I could tell he was saying something because his lips were moving, but I couldn't hear him. As a matter of fact, I couldn't hear anything anymore. I couldn't be deaf because I had just heard both Kenshin and Yahiko a moment ago. But why couldn't I hear them now?

Everything slowly faded except for Yahiko and Kenshin. But it seemed that I had thought too soon, for their figures started to fade as well.

I wanted to shout. To say something. I wanted them to hear me. Why wouldn't they? My mouth moved, and I felt pressure being released from my lungs, just the way someone would speak, but I heard nothing. Absolute silence.

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Yahiko held me up, struggling slightly, for he was overwhelmed with confusion and the weight of my body. Kenshin tried to communicate with my lifeless form, mentioning my name over and over, as if it would make me come to.

Kenshin took my body from Yahiko, holding me carefully, and carried me into his room. It was as if he carried me like glass, making sure that every step he took was careful and that I was alright.

As Yahiko watched, Kenshin slowly knelt down next to his futon and gently placed me down. Yahiko told Kenshin that he was leaving to get Megumi and that he would be back as quick as possible.

Kenshin nodded, agreeing, and looked back down at me. Worry filled his eyes and he slowly brushed a lock of hair away from my face. He continued to try and interact with my unconscious form, every now and then patting the side of my neck in an attempt to wake me from sleep.

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Megumi walked into Kenshin's bedroom with Yahiko following closely behind, observing everything.

After Megumi checked me, she described to Kenshin and Yahiko what had happened. She told them of how there were no physical injuries, but that I had just passed out and that I might remain unconscious for a while. They both understood. Kenshin allowed Megumi to rest in one of the guest rooms, and he had persuaded Yahiko to get to sleep and that I was fine. Kenshin stayed next to me, watching me with a tired look in his eyes.

He watched me the whole time. For all the long hours that I had been unconscious.

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After what seemed to me like only a few moments of eerie, uncomfortable silence and lack of sight, I felt something under me. It felt like the gentle material that made up a futon. My nose wrinkled ever so slightly as a scent filled my head. A familiar scent that I breathed in and loved every day. Kenshin's scent. Then Yahiko's and Megumi's. But their scents weren't as strong.

I felt my eyelids slowly drift open. Everything around me wasn't as dark as it had been just before. My eyes lazily drifted to the side, catching a glimpse of red. Kenshin. I struggled slightly as my eyes focused on his form. He was sitting cross-legged next to me, his head bent forward so his chin was in contact with his chest. The hair that was held in a ponytail behind his neck was hanging lifelessly over his shoulder, beside his face. I couldn't see his eyes from my point of view, being as his bangs hung forward and cast a shadow on his face.

Soon enough, though, his head turned and I could see caring amethyst eyes looking over my figure. His comfortable position changed and he moved nearer to me. He was kneeling close to me, his hands even closer. His head was tilted slightly and I stared up at him with an expressionless gaze. I noticed that his lips were moving, but once again, I couldn't hear anything.

Slowly, sound entered my system, and I could hear again. His voice sounded a bit faraway, but I could hear him at least. He was calling my name over and over. He sounded worried and confused.

If anyone was confused, it was me.

"Miss Kaoru?" His eyes traveled over my weak form quickly before returning back to look into my eyes. "Miss Kaoru…are you awake?"

"K-…Ken-…" I heard my voice, distant and quiet.

"You're awake, that you are." His statement sounded like a load had been taken off of his shoulders, and I could tell by his slightly relaxed posture that he was relieved. The edges of his lips curved upward a bit, showing a tiny smile.

"What….what happened?" I slowly pushed myself to sit up, the muscles in my arms trying hard to work. A pain in my back only made it worse, not letting me sit straight. I had to bend my upper torso forward to stay up without accompaniment, but that didn't mean that pain had walked out the door.

"You passed out, that you did, Miss Kaoru." I felt his hand pressed against my back and placed my own hands down on the futon on either side of me before he continued. "Why were you sitting outside of my room before?"

Oh yeah. I had a nightmare before about Kenshin leaving. I couldn't let it happen, though. I wouldn't let it happen, and of course he wouldn't just leave like how he had in the nightmare. I was absolutely positive that no one else would let him leave either, so I had to force myself to stop thinking about it.

Returning to the subject of Kenshin's bedroom, I realized that I had in fact traveled to Kenshin's room, and that I was presently inside of it. Sitting on his futon.

"…Kenshin? How long had I been unconscious for?" My sapphire eyes looked out the open door, seeing that it was late morning. The birds outside were chirping with innocent delight, and the leaves that hung off tree branches blew gently in the breeze. The light from the sun slowly crept into the room, inching closer and closer to Kenshin and myself.

"I'm afraid you have been sleeping for quite some time, Miss Kaoru. You've been unconscious for a few hours, that you have." He looked outside as well, letting his eyes slowly inspect every detail that was possible to see, and even more.

It was amazing how wonderful the man next to me could be, and how kind and generous his personality was, for who he had been in the past. If you walked up to any random citizen walking along the road and asked them who this man was, based on his personality, they wouldn't have a clue. It befuddled me how an ex-assassin came to be so incredibly caring and peaceful, but I knew that whatever had happened to him was his business and his business alone. If I were to ever know, he would tell me on his own schedule, when he was ready and willing. And I was perfectly fine with the idea of him not telling me anyway; for I had secrets of my own that he did not know of. Secrets that held my past and never let go, but I wasn't ready to tell anyone those because I believed that if I did tell them, their image of me would change. Maybe that was how he felt about what had happened to him, and if it was, then I knew how he felt and I didn't want anyone barging into my little sense of privacy. That little barrier that kept past from present was one of the things that I had to cling to and save for my own sake. I needed it, and I needed it desperately, otherwise my past would flood into the present and disrupt people's opinions about me. People wouldn't think of me as a normal person. They would just feel bad for me. Feel sorry for me, and wish that they could help me. Well, I don't want people's sorrow or distress, that's not what I need. What I need is…

"I've really been passed out for that long?" I looked down into my lap to notice that I still had my sleeping yukata on, and how it, well….didn't cover me as appropriately as it was made to. As I was hurrying to fix my clothing, Yahiko walked in with Megumi.

'Oh _great_.' I groaned inwardly as I watched Megumi come closer, Yahiko waiting by the door to hear the conversation.

"Raccoon Girl. What have you gotten yourself into _this_ time?" The sweet and sincere sounding voice of the female doctor announced her presence to all who hadn't known of it earlier. There was only one woman in the world who would dare to call me 'raccoon girl', and that one woman was standing above me this very moment.

For the sake of little ears in the room, I didn't react...as harshly as I wanted to.

"Fox Lady. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" A gentle grin played across my lips. "Might I suggest a _mask_ for that hideous face of yours? Spare the young ones at least, why don't you. You'll scare them half to _death_ walking around like that." Speaking of death, the expression on her face seemed as if my own death was creeping up behind me, ready to attack at any moment. Oh the joy.

"Now, now."A tiny sweat-drop rolled down the side of Kenshin's face as he attempted to call off the oncoming catfight. "Let's settle this quick and fair. Just apologize to each other and that'll be it. You don't have to do any more than that, that you don't."

"Since it seems as if Raccoon Girl won't calm down, I'll be the _mature_ woman here and end this just as Sir Ken has requested." Megumi grinned at me and I could've _sworn_ that I saw fox ears pop out of that woman's head.

How _dare_ she suck up to Kenshin like that, pretending to be the more mature one? Well, I admit, I wasn't the most mature girl in the world, but at least I wasn't throwing a fit, right?

"That's good." Kenshin smiled and looked at me. "You should take it easy, that you should. You wouldn't want to pass out again, now would you?"

"No, but-" I whined quietly as I was cut off by Megumi.

"Don't talk back to Sir Ken. Only a real woman would know that." And then came her famous laugh. How I wanted to grab Kenshin's sakabatou right about now and- … Deep breaths, Kamiya. No violence. Who would like a bratty, sweaty little violent girl who throws temper tantrums all the time? Definitely not Kenshin.

I heard Yahiko adding to the laughter in the background and glared at him. Yes, a glare that clearly said "100 perfect strokes". And boy, did he see those a lot.

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I had been hoping all day that I'd finally get the courage to tell Kenshin how I felt toward him, but I just couldn't. I couldn't face rejection and the utter torture it promised. Sure, Kenshin wouldn't tease me about it, but Sanosuke and Yahiko definitely would. Kenshin would just smile and shrug it off.

I wondered how Tae would deal with it if I had gotten rejected by Kenshin. She's certainly protective over me, and for all I know, she might just teach Kenshin an un-needed lesson. I mean, it's not his fault if he doesn't love me. Of course I would be upset, but you can't just force someone to love another, right? Hopefully, Tae knows that...

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The next day, I watched as Kenshin and Yahiko sparred with each other in the training hall. It wasn't very often that Kenshin agreed to spar, so this was something I wanted to see. It also gave me a short break from practicing with Yahiko, and I could think to myself of how I would go about telling Kenshin my true feelings. I needed as much time to think about it as I could get.

I always decided that I would tell him, and then I'd end up thinking about it more and I would realize that it wasn't the best idea. But then I'd end up going back and forth between the two, and I'd really end up getting nowhere. I guess I'm just not good at making decisions.

Kenshin guarded himself from all of Yahiko's attacks easily, wearing a small grin the whole way through. I almost melted.

Kenshin had it easy: the speed, the attacks….the personality, the looks, the--…

Maybe I should stop myself before I go overboard.

On the other hand, there was my student. That's really all I have to say, but I can put in a few bad words about him, right? He's annoying, he's bratty, he's young, and worst of all, he's stupid. Okay, so maybe that was a little harsh. He's not as stupid as he looks...heh. He can be a bit cunning when he wants to be. Wait…let me rephrase that. He can be a bit cunning when he gets food in return for his services. Sanosuke's the same way.

Speaking of Sano…

"Hey, Missy." Sano took his time as he walked over to me, smiling with his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"Hello, Sanosuke. Are you here for your daily mooching?" A warm sigh slid out from between my lips as my arms crossed over my chest.

"Well, no," Sanosuke's smile widened slightly and turned a bit evil before he continued, "but if you're willing to give up some money, then-"

"Forget it." I was too concentrated on the glutton next to me that I didn't notice Kenshin walking over to us. Apparently, Yahiko had lost, seeing as he was now grumbling off in a corner.

"Aw, why do you have to be so reluctant?" Sanosuke pouted.

"I'm not being reluctant, I'm just.."My attention switched to the brilliantly handsome redhead that stood beside me. "Hello, Kenshin."

Sanosuke rolled his eyes and watched me as I practically salivated all over Kenshin.

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Seem any better? I hope it does. I'll probably have the same things that happened in the other version happen in this version if not similar things.

But it most likely won't have as many chapters as last time, seeing as I stink at writing long chapters and I'm attempting to do it this time.

Sorry about the dull ending to this chapter, but…::shrug:: Some sort of writer's block, I guess…

I'm sorry about any double-spacing or random new paragraphs in the middle of a sentence. For some reason, has been doing that to me.

Review please!


	3. Confessions of a Blind Pair

I do not, never have, and sadly never will own Rurouni Kenshin. I do, however own a collection of RK DVDs and manga XD -   
  
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Gah! It's been so long!   
  
Thankfully, I haven't lost my reviews. I've got 98 so far ;x I think.. Hopefully, there's more to come! I haven't been getting as many lately ::sniffle:: Maybe you guys forgot about me? Or maybe you simply cant review because you've already reviewed for this chapter (before I re-wrote the story)? Possibly you could write an anonymous review to encourage me, if you'd like? No need to, though, if you don't want.   
  
I'm blabbing too long, sorry ;x I'll try and shoot for a decent sized chapter...No promises, though ::cries:   
  
This might be the end for this little ficlet :(   
  
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Onto the story!   
  
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Chapter 3 ; "Confessions of a Blind Pair"   
  
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I slowly trudged onto the porch, sitting down ever-so-carefully at the edge, as to not injure myself any further. That fall I had taken the other day outside of Kenshin's room must've done some damage I hadn't even noticed. Well, I felt it now. In my ankle, to be precise. I guess you'd call it a delayed response? Pretty darn delayed to me.   
  
Kenshin hadn't stopped acting so...tense, restless, and worried, whenever he was around me today. He was like a hawk, watching over it's child. He was way too overprotective. I'm not saying he wasn't adorable when he had that innocent expression on his face whenever I asked why he was making it such a big deal. He would always have the cutest look in those deep, amethyst pools of his.   
  
The pain had intruded just this morning, after I awoke from my night's sleep. At least it wasn't currently as painful as it had been this morning.   
  
I looked up to see a relatively tall man standing infront of me on the green grass, his red headband flowing gently in the breeze along with his clothes. Sano. Next to him was a much shorter, younger boy. What an odd contrast. Right off the bat I could tell that it was my apprentice, Yahiko. What they could want with poor old me, I do not know. I stared silently at the pair, awaiting their words of absurdity. Grins spread across both of their faces simultaneously. It frightened me a bit, how they thought the same...they practically were the same.   
  
"Sano told me about your confession the other day." Yahiko couldn't help but start out the conversation, his grin growing wider. "So how do you plan on pounding it into that idiot-rurouni's head? He still doesn't seem to get it."   
  
"Yeah," Sanosuke chimed in, "He keeps denying it, saying that you don't like him. Of course, we know the two of you like each other. He's just coming up with excuses to keep himself out of a corner." Sano raised an eyebrow as my facial expression grew nervous.   
  
Stammering, I tried to think quickly of something to save my skin. What a surprise. My brain has, once again, failed to please me.   
  
"So you full-out admit it, Ugly?" Yahiko snickered, his eyes growing dark in an evil fashion. "You admit that you love your dear Kenshin?" He stressed on the "love" and fluttered his eyelashes girlishly all-throughout the sentence.   
  
"Th-that's not true.." I looked up at them with embarrassed eyes, my face colored like a rose. I knew I was lying, but what else could I do? They'd go tell Kenshin that I really loved him. Not that they probably haven't already, but I haven't truly admitted it yet...I think. "You've got nothing against me..." I mustered as much courage as I could before standing infront of the two men in the yard, still looking upward at Sanosuke, seeing as he was a rather tall man.   
  
"Oh, we don't?" Sanosuke, looking down at me with devilish chocolate eyes, placed two curled fingers underneath my chin, tilting my face upward a bit. "But whatever happened to 'all she tries to do is steal Kenshin away from me', huh?" While he quoted my words, he attempted a female voice, pouting his lower lip slightly.   
  
I grunted quietly as my eyebrows lowered, lightly slapping his hand away from my face. "That means nothing." My eyes narrowed a tiny bit, unconsciously trying to look intimidating, as if I actually believed my own innocent plead. "I just... I just meant... W-We're only friends, you know. You can even ask Kenshin."   
  
"Didn't you just hear us?" Yahiko decided to bring his own voice into the slight quarrel before it ended, having gone nowhere. "We just said that he always comes up with excuses. It's like his job or something." The boy rolled his eyes and looked off to the side, quickly noticing a familiar redhead walking toward the small bunch. "Speaking of the devil..."   
  
I glared at Yahiko for a moment, silently reprimanding him for his choice of reference, before looking in the direction of the young boy's gaze. Sanosuke's eyes followed soon after I greeted Kenshin, my usual bright smile accompanying my hello.   
  
Kenshin was looking a bit rattled. As he came closer, I took a few steps toward him, while the younger of the two immature 'men' whistled. Sanosuke hit the back of his head to keep him quiet and watched me.   
  
"Heyyy," Yahiko whined like a young girl, grabbing at his head as he glowered upward at Sano. "That hurt."   
  
"Be a man and deal with it." Sanosuke grinned slightly as Yahiko huffed and looked at Kenshin and myself.   
  
"M-Miss Kaoru, could I have a moment with you?" Kenshin stood infront of me, surprisingly maintaining a calm expression on his face, but it was obvious his attempt was failing horribly when it came to his voice. He almost sounded as if he were reaching puberty, his words a bit shaky and his tone slightly uneven.   
  
Yahiko couldn't hold back as he whistled once again, laughing beneath his breath.   
  
"Don't worry. We'll be leaving you two at peace, now." Sanosuke grabbed Yahiko and pulled him, a bit violently, up onto the porch and into the closest room, listening intently with their ears plastered to the wall.   
  
"What is it, Kenshin? Is something on your mind?" I watched as he stared intently at the ground in-between us, his rurouni façade slipping as I saw more emotions swipe across his face. Embarrassment, sadness, self-centered anger, confusion, and so much more. I waited patiently, seeing that he was trying to plan something out in his head.   
  
"I...I want to know how you think of me, that I do." Kenshin's voice was now quiet, yet steady, as if to enforce the seriousness in his request.   
  
"Oh, Kenshin...." I looked at him in a slightly shocked manner, before regaining composure with a smile. "Kenshin, you know I care for you. I've cared for you ever since I met you. You're my closest friend, and always will be..." I smiled as I watched him look up at me, his eyes softening as I continued. I could barely ever tell what was going on in his mind, but somehow I knew he wanted me to go on. "You always care for me, and are so worried over the simplest things, such as my ankle." Speaking of which, I hadn't noticed until then that the pain had disappeared. He blushed ever-so-slightly before I continued, "You take care of me in a way no one ever has, and I thank you so much for that. Your personality is amazing. You deserve so much more than you think." I tried hard to explain my feelings toward him as well as I could, yet without giving away my deepest secret...or at least what I liked to think was a secret.   
  
"You.....You honestly think that?" Once again, Kenshin's voice was low and quiet. His eyes had somehow seemed to soften even more, a bit of an amber glow mixing with the rich amethyst color his eyes normally carried. I saw a new emotion upon his face. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite make out which emotion it was, but it was definitely strong, and if I wasn't mistaken, the feeling was directed toward me.   
  
"Yes, Kenshin..." Again, I was lost in the man before me, living in pure ecstasy among heaven, the perfect vibes flowing through my body.   
  
"Um...I wanted to tell you something, that I did... It's been nagging at me for a while now, more so in the past few days than ever. Sanosuke has also been trying to persuade me to tell you, that he has." Kenshin's foot started to dig gently at the dirt in a display of nervousness, only adding an uneasy feeling to the atmosphere. "I....well, I've been thinking lately..."   
  
Many thoughts ran through my head, as to whatever possible statements he could be trying to admit. More than once, did the thought of Kenshin declaring his love for me, appear in my mind. I pushed it away each time, thinking that it was impossible and silly of me to be thinking such things. This could be important and here I was venturing off into a selfish little made-up world where Kenshin loved me. Although it kept fighting its way back into my mind. What a persistent thought. I'll think such things later, not at a time like this.   
  
"And I've....I've come to a conclusion, that I have." Kenshin looked even deeper into my eyes. He seemed a bit more in control of his actions, yet he did something totally unexpected. His hand had slowly crept up to the side of my face, gently cupping my cheek. He also leaned forward slightly, and I itched to fall into his arms. It sort of frightened me, yet at the same time, it was exciting and I wanted more. "I...I--"   
  
A hard knock on the dojo gate interrupted the scene, catching the two of us at an awkward moment. Kenshin was standing awfully close to me, his hand on my cheek, each of us looking into each other's eyes with silent passion flowing from our stares.   
  
Kenshin groaned quietly as he looked off to the side and stepped back. "...I-I'll get that..." He turned and walked toward the gate, to greet the visitor, blushing madly all-the-while.   
  
My gaze lingered on his retreating form, my expression never changing. The look in his eyes was...something undescribable. It was an amazing feeling to have him so close to me, yet ... so far. Yes, I have been closer to people before, but not a man...The other experiences were simply friendly hugs.. this was different.   
  
I slowly turned, taking my eyes off Kenshin, and walked up onto the porch before I traveled into the training hall, kneeling next to the closest wall. I stared at the wooden floor infront of me, not noticing as the two freeloaders walked over, sitting down next to me.   
  
"So.." Sanosuke started off as he sat on my left, knocking my thoughts back into reality. "He's getting pretty close to actually admitting it, don't ya think?"   
  
"A-Admitting it?" I turned my head away so he couldn't see the blush slowly growing upon my face, only to notice Yahiko on my right. I tilted my head down toward my lap, trying to hide anything.   
  
"Don't even try to deny it now, Ugly." Yahiko grinned and elbowed me in the side gently, quickly noticing my embarrassment. "What I don't understand is why it took you two so long to even get this far. And you're still behind in the schedule."   
  
"Schedule? ... I can take things as slow as I want, Yahiko. You've got no right to tell me what to do with my love life." I barely noticed how the two males took my words, but it wasn't the way I meant for it to sound.   
  
"So you're saying you love Kenshin, but you're afraid of something?" Yahiko chuckled quietly, trying to sound as serious as he could. His feet swung side to side in a nonchalant rhythm as his legs were laid straight out on the floor infront of him.   
  
"..." I really didn't want to lie anymore. The truth might as well come out sooner or later, right? Why not now?   
  
"Just a passerby." Kenshin entered the training hall, standing infront of us all. "I think he might have been lost.." His hand came up to scratch the back of his head slightly.   
  
"We'll leave you two alone, now." Yahiko just had to embarrass me further. He stood, motioning for Sanosuke to follow. The two of them walked out the door slowly, leaving a slightly confused Kenshin and I.   
  
I looked up as they stepped outside. They had left the room, but were no further than two feet from the door. Not that I could see them, it was just their nature to eavesdrop.   
  
"Listen... Miss Kaoru, I.." Kenshin slowly came to sit beside me, facing me fully. He seemed confident and determined, though I could feel a bit of anxiousness about him..or maybe that was just me. "About before, I just wanted to get something out, that I did." He looked down at my hands which were settled in my lap, idly caressing one another nervously.   
  
I felt a bit more comfortable looking up at his face while his eyes weren't on mine. "Yes, Kenshin?" His eyes came up, catching my gaze and not letting go. My mouth opened slightly as I noticed the expressions that softly played across his face. He seemed to be struggling slightly, yet he didn't want to hold back any longer.   
  
"I've been wondering lately, how far you wanted...to bring our relationship." He swallowed and continued, "I...I've noticed how I feel about you..that I have." His eyes traveled to my hands for a short moment before returning to my face. "I like you a lot. I really do..And..And I love you. Not just..as a friend, but....more. I really love you..." He spoke quietly, but I heard him clearly.   
  
My heart beat fast and my breathing was slightly uneven though silent, swearing to myself it was a dream. All I could do was look at him in amazement.   
  
The two boys outside had peeked their heads in, watching us from the doorway, their expressions agape.   
  
"Kenshin..." I didn't know what my face looked like, but by his reaction, I hadn't been showing my true feelings.   
  
Kenshin quickly looked away, sitting back a bit. "I..understand, that I do."   
  
"No, Kenshin, I--" I leaned toward him, only to have him hold his hand up and smile at me.   
  
"It's okay, Miss Kaoru, that it is." Kenshin's hand fell back down to his side as he kept up his smile. I saw his eyes hurt, and yet his face was happy. If he put his mind to it, he could fool someone so easily. But not me.   
  
"Kenshin, listen to me." I grabbed his wrist as he was about to stand up. His attention was brought back to me, his smile had dissipated. My voice lowered slightly, and I was not able to prevent it from faltering here and there. "I never said I disliked you, did I?"   
  
"But, Miss Kaoru--"   
  
"Please, let me talk." I still held his wrist, afraid he would get up and leave at any time. "I do like you..a lot. And it's kind of hard for me...but since you have....." I took a deep breath, "I love you too." Silence filled the room as Kenshin's expression lightened.   
  
"You..." He brought his face to mine, grinning with anxious excitement. "You really mean it?"   
  
I laughed quietly, not noticing our nearness as I nodded. "Of course."   
  
Slowly, our smiles and quiet laughter died down as I noticed he was looking down at my mouth. His eyes moved back up to meet my own, asking silently for permission. I was kneeling infront of the man I loved, after he had just declared his feelings for me, and here he was waiting. I was as innocent as they come, I had no idea what to do. I had never been this close to a man before today, and just the thought of it brought butterflies to my stomach. Actually being in this situation pushed those butterflies up into my throat.   
  
Kenshin leaned forward as I let go of his wrist, watching him with wide eyes. I leaned back against the wall, still facing him as he tilted his head ever so slightly and closed his eyes, bringing our lips together. I slowly closed my eyes and relaxed, millions of thoughts running rampant through my mind. I pushed them all aside as I basked in the moment, feeling Kenshin's hand gently hold the side of my face. It seemed like forever until we parted. It took me a few moments to focus my energy on opening my eyes, but I succeeded. He was smiling, watching me.   
  
Yahiko just had to ruin it with a provocative whistle and a laugh. "It's about time!" The little brat shouted with a grin, his better half right behind him, laughing.   
  
I looked to them as my face heated with embarrassment, ditto for Kenshin. He pulled away from me and sat to look at the other two. I frowned at them. "What do you want now?"   
  
"What are you talking about? It's time to celebrate! You guys were so slow at noticing your feelings." He emphasized the word 'feelings' with a feminine touch.   
  
Kenshin looked at me with a smile. "Why not?" He stood up, holding out a hand to help me up.   
  
I placed my hand upon his and stood, looking to Sanosuke and Yahiko. "Would you want to go to the Akabeko then..?" I raised an eyebrow along with a pointed finger, facing Sanosuke. "Would you like to get your own date?" I lowered my arm as Sano simply gave me a confused look. "Megumi, silly. You can confess your true feelings next." I grinned.   
  
Kenshin hadn't let go of my hand after I stood. Personally, I've got no problem with that, I was just a bit surprised, seeing as Kenshin didn't seem like the type of person to do that. I guess since we're starting a stronger relationship now, he was showing more of his feelings and what he really wanted to do.   
  
"Heh heh." Sanosuke grinned back. "At least I wont take as long as you two did. But you're payin'." He left the room before I could defend my wallet, sighing as I admitted defeat.   
  
"I'll pay, Miss Kaoru, that I will." Kenshin gripped my hand gently and pulled me along to follow Yahiko, who had ran to catch up with Sano.   
  
I sighed and walked along with Kenshin, not seeing anything about his speech pattern change in the least bit. I was kind of looking forward to him calling me plain-ol' Kaoru. Well, I've lived with it until now, so I can handle it a bit longer. He's got to notice it soon, right?   
  
Before I knew it, Kenshin and I were inside the Akabeko, greeting Tae and the others. Kenshin was still holding my hand, apparently he forgot about it.   
  
Not too far behind us was the rest of the group, Sanosuke, Megumi, and Yahiko. Sano pulled Tae over and explained the event. She smiled with excitement and I could hear a "I knew they would."   
  
I blushed slightly and was brought to a separate room with a table which was larger than most in the restaurant. What had I gotten myself into... I sat with Kenshin, Megumi, and Yahiko. Sanosuke soon came by, fitting himself in next to Megumi. Tsubame came into the room, asking if she could sit down as well. We gladly accepted her, and she sat next to Yahiko.   
  
"Alright, are you payin', Missy?" Sanosuke planted a fist onto the table and looked in my direction.   
  
"I'm paying, Sano." Kenshin cut in, raising an eyebrow. "What's the difference either way?"   
  
"Yes!" Sano grinned wickedly, throwing his arm into the air. "Lets drink!"   
  
Megumi grabbed Sanosuke's wrist and brought his arm back down to earth. "Shh, there are young children here. Let's try and keep it under control." She let go of his wrist and placed her hand back in her lap. She looked across the table at Yahiko and Tsubame, each blushing softly and chattering quietly.   
  
Sano sighed and looked at the 'young children' and then back at Megumi. "They're not that young, you know. They could handle a few drinks themselves. Plus, even if they didn't want to have anything, it's not gonna kill 'em to watch, right?" He waited for a response from the vixen, seeing a contemplative expression on her face.   
  
Megumi sighed in defeat and quietly muttered, "Fine, you can have a little alcohol, but not much. It's too early to get drunk. Come back on your own later this evening, then you can go crazy"   
  
I smiled as I felt Kenshin's hand carefully take mine, as if I were glass. I turned my head to look at him and saw him, yet again, smiling at me. I generously mirrored his expression and looked down at our hands.   
  
Tae walked in and grinned at the two of us. "So, are the rumors true, Kaoru?"   
  
I heard the familiar accent and Kenshin and I looked up, giving hesitant smiles.   
  
"Um...depends what the rumors were." I started to feel a bit uneasy, wondering what could have possibly been spread around so quickly.   
  
"That you two declared your love for one another." She said it softly, but in a romantic way, smiling brightly. "So did ya?"   
  
"Y-yeah..If that's how you want to put it.."   
  
"Aw, I knew it was only a matter of time." Tae sat across from Kenshin and myself, leaning forward a bit in anticipation. "So... did you two kiss?"   
  
"Tae," I tried using a reprimanding, yet nice voice, "please.." The look in my eyes must've gotten the message through. I watched her raise her hands in defense.   
  
"Alright, alright, just wantin' to know the good parts." She giggled quietly as she stood.   
  
"Tae." I whined quietly, giving her a pleading look.   
  
"I'm goin'!" She continued to grin as she walked out of the private room, sending another waitress inside to take our orders.   
  
-----   
  
After the little get-together, Yahiko, Kenshin and I had arrived back home and were getting ready for the rest of the evening. The 'party' had lasted longer than expected, and took up most of the afternoon. We decided on heading back before we got too distracted. It was nice, though. Not many jokes were made about Kenshin and I, and I had a good time. It seemed Kenshin did as well.   
  
-----   
  
I yawned, revealing the ache in my body called tiredness. I was standing outside in the yard, it now being late night. I stared up at the shining stars in amazement, thanking the gods for a thing such as love. This had to have been the best day of my life. It couldn't get any better.   
  
Kenshin walked off the porch and stood behind me. He smiled and waited for me to notice his presence.   
  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" I couldn't help but keep smiling as I turned and looked back at him.   
  
Kenshin briefly looked up at the sky before looking back at me. He nodded and replied, "Gorgeous.." His eyes held a loving expression. A shiver ran down my spine at the look in his gaze, and his smile widened at that.   
  
Stars above us sparkled in the darkness, some standing out more than others. The moon shone down upon us and the home we stood near, as if protecting us from every harmful being around. I felt safe just being infront of Kenshin, and his voice comforted me further.   
  
"I sent Yahiko to bed, that I did. He gave in after a minute or two." He sighed with a small smile. "You can never really trust that boy, though I'd like to. He's probably up and about, maybe eating in the kitchen."   
  
"I know what you mean." I laughed quietly and looked around at the scenery. I suddenly felt self-conscious and nervous. Deep in my stomach I could feel an emotion, though I wasn't sure what it was. It made me even more nervous about being around Kenshin, and I thought of when we had told each other our feelings. I was even more hesitant as I thought of how quiet it was, and how alone we were, secluded, in our own yard with no one else to disturb us. Butterflies grew again.   
  
I blushed as I looked back at Kenshin. "You know...I feel kind of silly saying this to you, but.." I looked down at the ground next to me as I continued, "Whenever I thought of you and me, I always had this little dream of us being together. And I'd swear to myself that that was all it was...a dream. No matter how much I wished, or prayed..I thought you'd never feel the same way as I." It started to pour out of my mouth, not caring to be checked in my mind as it marched out of me.   
  
The next thing I new was his body had been pressed against mine, his strong arms around me, and his head gently leaned against mine. My eyes widened and my arms hung motionless for a few moments, before I caught on to what had happened, and my arms slowly slid around his form.   
  
"Kenshin..." I whispered, staring up at the sky, afraid to smile. "I was afraid you couldn't return my feelings..and I didn't know what I would do from then on. So I tried to keep it a secret."   
  
"Shh,"I could feel his smile against my neck, and he spoke softly into my hair. "That's how I felt. We were both stuck in the same corner. But Sanosuke helped me broaden my thoughts, as to the possibility of you loving me back. And I could tell there was a small chance that you did love me back. I had to risk that...so I did." He held me a bit tighter for a short moment, without hurting me and he laughed softly into the crook of my neck. "It was worth it, I can tell you that."   
  
I noticed his speech pattern had changed. He hadn't been saying any "that I am" phrases at the ends of his sentences. I wonder if he would drop the "Miss" as well.   
  
"I'm glad you took that risk. Because I know I wouldn't have. I didn't want to face rejection..especially from you." I relished the feeling of him against me, his breath on my neck, and his arms around me. All I could do was hold back thankful and loving tears as we spoke.   
  
"Don't even think that. I would never reject you. I would do anything for you." One of Kenshin's hands was at my lower back, holding me against him. His other hand was holding my shoulder from behind. "I would give up anything for you. You know that, right?"   
  
I couldn't hold back any longer as I let tears flow from my now closed eyes. "Oh, Kenshin..."   
  
He pulled away to look at me, but still held me in a close hug. "What is it? Is it something I said?"   
  
I opened my eyes and saw that his concerned face was full of love and so many sweet emotions I couldn't keep track of.   
  
Both of his hands came up to hold either side of my face, his thumbs gently wiping away some of my tears. "Don't cry.."   
  
I kept my arms around him, holding him close. I watched him through blurry eyes, letting go of joyful tears. "Kenshin, I'm happy....I never thought it would happen, but..you really love me, don't you?"   
  
"Of course I do.." He kept his face close to mine as he stared into my eyes. "I always have. Even when I first met you, I had a crush on you. I didn't like the idea of being attached to someone when I might have to wander again, but that crush turned into love. And I knew that I would never be able to leave you..."   
  
My tears slowly stopped and I smiled, my cheeks and lips still moist. "It's like a dream-come-true.. It's so hard to believe it.."   
  
"It's real." Kenshin smiled and I finally recognized the emotion in his eyes. It was love that I saw. Not just a caring love, but a deep and unbreakable love that was directed toward me.   
  
I blushed slightly as his face moved closer to mine, his eyes closing and his lips connecting with my own.   
  
I closed my eyes and stored the moment in my heart, the stars, the moonlight, the feeling, everything.   
  
I noticed Kenshin hadn't pulled away like he did last time. One of his hands slid down my jaw line and I felt his thumb rest on my chin, before gently opening my mouth to deepen the kiss, tilting his head slightly. I hadn't even known that it was possible to do that.   
  
I whimpered almost silently in innocence, my knees bending slightly. It was unexpected and amazing at the same time. I didn't know what to do, or how to react. He seemed fine with that, though.   
  
It seemed like an eternity until Kenshin pulled away, taking in long, quiet breaths. I was the same, and my eyes opened to see him staring at me. I felt my cheeks heat up as he smiled sweetly.   
  
"I love you, Kaoru." He murmured against my lips.   
  
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Nyahh I'm jealous ::pout:   
  
I hope this was a good ending for all of you! No more chapters shall be added to this story, for it begs to be ended.   
  
Sorry for any mistakes.   
  
I'm working on my other stories and it's been so hectic. I don't want to complain much, so I'll just say "Don't worry, I'm not giving up on them". Hehe this was longer than usual. I feel proud.   
  
I hope you liked it! Send in reviews! 


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